EUNICE, La. – Madison Monson connected for three home runs as LSU Eunice took a pair of road dates at Bossier Parish CC. The Bengals, ranked No. 5 in the most recent Division II NJCAA poll faced the Division I 17th-ranked Cavaliers for the first time since 2014.
Monson provided the only offense in LSUE's 2-0 opening win and carried the majority of the load in the Bengals' 5-4 win to end their stay in north Louisiana.
LSUE will take off for the remainder of Spring Break and return for a home date with Southwest Mississippi CC. The Bengals' doubleheader with the Bears is scheduled for a 2:00PM start.
GAME ONE
LSU Eunice's freshman duo of Madison Monson and Heather Zumo provided the fuel for a tight 2-0 opening win against Bossier Parish CC.
Monson blasted a third inning two-run home run to right field to give LSUE its only runs of the game. Mima Doucet provided a clutch two-out double to give Monson an opportunity to collect the homer. Doucet notched two of LSUE's four hits on the game.
Heather Zumo (17-5) retired the first ten batters she faced on the way to a two-hit complete game shutout. Zumo struck out seven batters while not walking a batter, forcing 12 flyouts and two groundouts.
It was the freshman's 12th complete game of the season.
Elisa Favela also went the distance in a hard luck loss for BPCC. Favela allowed two earned runs on just four hits and one walk while striking out nine batters.
GAME TWO
LSU Eunice received a late insurance run off a Bossier Parish error to help the Bengals escape with a 5-4 win to secure a doubleheader sweep.
Madison Monson knocked a two-out single with Mima Doucet on second but a fielding error by centerfielder Raina McKean allowed Doucet to round the bases and pad the Bengals' lead, 5-3.
McKean would make up for the miscue with a RBI single to make it a one-run game again, 5-4. Heather Zumo picked up the save after striking out Tyler Robinson with two runners on base to end the game.
Zumo helped fend off a late surge by BPCC with two innings of work, giving up two runs off five hits.
LSU Eunice raced out to a 4-0 advantage thanks to three home runs. Madison Monson blasted a two-run homer in the first followed by a solo shot in the fifth. Ally Howard blasted the other Bengals' bomb with a solo homer in the fourth inning.
Monson's 15 home runs are currently tops in the NJCAA Division II.
Bossier Parish cut the deficit in half after Shelrika Bryant answered with a two-run home run in the fifth. The Cavaliers cut the LSUE lead to 4-3 with a Zoe Hancock sacrifice fly in the sixth inning.
Morghan LaTour (5-1) picked up the win after 4.2 innings of two run, two hit action. LaTour struck out two batters while walking three. Jeanne Trahan picked up the final out of the fifth inning after LaTour was chased following Bryant's home run.
